Mercsmom

Thank you for all the info. on Ace, especially the links. This actually gives me hope that there's something out there that'll curb fireworks anxiety. Funny thing: The other night we had an electrical storm. Merc does not mind thunder. But, immediately after the storm, someone had fireworks (far off and a lower caliber noise than the thunder) THAT bothered him. How the heck did he know the difference???

I have no experience but will share with you what the vet told us when we asked about spooking and "fireworks meds". I specifically asked about Trazadone since it is grey-friendly and others on this site have had good luck with it. He said that Trazadone is essentially an SSRI. That means it is designed for chronic anxiety not acute. In his opinion, Trazadone wouldn't help the situation at all unless used every day, and then, he doubted it's effectiveness for acute or unexpected spooking ( read "fireworks" "truck backfire" "gunshot" "men dropping lumber"). I noticed that when Mercury spooked at a lumber site, he'd spook at nearly everything for weeks. It has taken a week after the 4th to start to return to normal. The vet prescribed Acepromazine. Dosage: 1/2 - 2 tablets. I gave him 1/2 a tablet which turned him into a zombie who still got upset with fireworks. *sigh* I'm wondering if our plans to be a therapy dog are going to be derailed by spooking. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread. Just wanted to weigh in. Best of luck.

Welcome from Noo York and Floriduh! If you look under Technical Topics, there's a primer on how to post pictures. (long story short: get a Photobucket account) Mercury and Merc's Mom

Dogs can very often sense things of which we are not aware. When my Liberty would pace at night, the vet mentioned that there might be construction going on somewhere that's producing a sound unpleasant to her but unheard by us. Add to that: build up of static electricity, mice in the walls, a strange sound on TV, tripping over a rug and being convinced it's out to get you and.... ghosts. It's a wonder they don't freak out more often.

Welcome from Dutchess County (south of Albany) Lovin' those earses!

I try to give his breakfast by 7 a.m. since I have leave around 8:30 (started waking up earlier just to accomplish this). He goes out twice on his own after breakfast. Then, before work, I accompany him. Yes, we have commands ("go widdles", "do poops"). I stand next to him until he does a significant widdle. Then, it's belly band time and I go off to work. The water management seems to be the key. Less when he has to hold it, more when I'm home with him, all he wants when we're going out walking. He gets plenty during the day (I'm measuring to make sure) but the timing is precise.

a "piddle pal"??? How cute is that?!

Measuring his fluid intake makes a lot of sense. We'll have Dr. Bob do a work up on his kidney beans, etc. I don know if he comes over to my chair in the evening and puts his head in my lap rather than getting up in the chair with me that mean "out, Mummy". It's when we walk out of my office building across the nice grass and he doesn't stop, but then gets in the car and pees (on the rubber car mat, not the white leather upholstery) that kills me. BTW, if anyone ever tries to tell you all weather floor mats aren't worth every penny, don't believe them!

See, I'm not thinking it's excessive drinking. It's just infrequent drinking, only once or twice a day, so he loads up. I've been told (many of you might know better) that this is "common at the track", that they're offered water twice a day with meals, so that's the pattern they establish. I have no trouble following up with the vet to be sure of proper health.

I have sooooo been avoiding starting this thread. Partly, I wanted to try to narrow down the behaviors (get to the root and all that) and partly because I didn’t want to have to catalogue all of it but….. Main issue: peeing (his not mine) where it isn’t appropriate, namely inside house, crate and car. (You want a laugh about the car – check this outWithout too much detail, maybe I can streamline this discussion. There seem to be two factors at work here: (1) his drinking habits and (2) the combination of his subtle signs (“excuse me, I glanced in the direction of the door, twice what more do you want me to do?”) and his nonchalant attitude of “hey, if you can’t read my mind, then you can mop the floor”. This is coupled with a relatively high intellect, a placid disposition (we’ll be in training for therapy dog soon), and a high desire to go to work with me whenever possible. His drinking habits (which seem to mirror the track) are camel-like, large quantities, twice a day (followed by several pee sessions. If I let him drink what he wants in the morning and let him have a couple long piddles before I leave for work, I could not be gone for more than two hours before he pees again in or out of the crate, with or without a belly band). On days when I take him to work, I limit his water (as much as he wants the night before, some in his kibble that morning, some available in my office – which he has no interest in). I hate the thought of limiting any animal’s water intake but he truly seems uninterested in his office water dish. Then, we came home. He drank a lot. We both took a nap, during which he got up and peed on the floor – a lot. It was so light in color and odor it I couldn’t identify it as urine until I had eliminated (no pun intended) every other possibility I even checked the ceiling for a leaky roof! Mercury has been with use about 7 months. He’s 3 years old, seems very healthy (complete with some SA and greyhound stubbornness), and just had a urine culture which came back normal except low specific gravity (some days his pee is nearly waterlike, other days quite dark which fits his camel-like tendencies). Can you change a dog’s drinking habits to better suit your preference for his bathroom habits? How can you strengthen his desire to hold it or his misgivings about peeing in the house/car/crate? (Even catching him in the act seems to have no effect.)

Yes, but after adopting a greyhound ("you can't change the world by adopting a greyhound but you can change the world for that greyhound"), and the foul-mouthed motherless bunnies, and doing your part to ambassador the breed, do you think bouncy poops are really necessary?

Regarding the scratched leg - More than once (several times in fact) Mercury has come in from outside and later, I've found a small scratch or scab on his foot or leg. He's actually cutting his legs on the snow! Y'know how the snow can get crusty on top and you break through it, even a few inches? I think that's when it's happening. BTW, I'm envious of your webcam abilities. I've been going through heck trying to get mine to work, and it's internal to the PC!

Snake tongue. That's what I've always called it.

Having some protection made it possible to allow her to get up on the bed every night where she really wanted to be. During the day, I just watched and cleaned carpet. Arthritis and nerve damage meant that she'd often poop when getting up. Or sometimes while she slept. I can't tell how many evenings I sat in my chair in the living room and watched lying on the floor cushions. She'd be sound asleep and the tail would start to rise.......

So.... where in Southwest Florida? There are a few of us in Charlotte County (O.K., I'm in New York part of the time but my mortgage and tax money go to Florida).

I had three sets of dog panties for my Liberty. Poo is so much easier to deal with than loss of bladder control. By "dealing" with it (panties at night, lots of clean up) we were able to spend almost a whole 'nuther year together. She was still enjoying herself and we were enjoying her.Seriously - dog panties fro Pet?Co or Pet Smart. Skip the expensive dog diapers. Use the panties, line with a female sanitary product and save a fortune.